Police, community and calendar briefs for April 20, 2013

Published: Friday, April 19, 2013 at 10:00 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, April 19, 2013 at 6:29 p.m.

POLICE BEAT

Man a suspect in 2 sex assault cases

A 36-year-old man arrested Thursday by an Ocala police detective for sexual battery on a child younger than 12 was arrested again on Friday by a Marion County Sheriff’s Office detective for another sexual offense on a different victim.

Ocala police said the victim in the first case, now a teenager, told an official at the Kimberly’s Center for Child Protection that when she was about 4 or 5 she was molested by Mark L. Franklin. In a Facebook chat with Franklin, she asked him about the incident and he told her he prayed for forgiveness and was no longer a monster and was now a better person, according to reports.

On Thursday, Officer Joe Kelly saw Franklin at a park in northwest Ocala and took him to the police department for questioning. Franklin told Fernandez about the Facebook posting but denied molesting the girl. Franklin was arrested and was taken to the Marion County Jail.

On Friday, MCSO Detective Bobby Levay charged Franklin with two counts of sexual battery stemming from a 2005 case in which Franklin allegedly molested a girl several times from when she was about 2 or 3 until she was in seventh grade. Levay said Franklin was about 14 or 15 at the time of the first reported incidents and that when the victim was in the seventh grade, he was about 26.

Franklin denied the allegations.

Synthetic marijuana found at BP gas station

A sheriff’s deputy on Thursday confiscated hundreds of packages of K2 spice — an illegal form of synthetic marijuana — from a convenience store.

Deputy Christopher Ellis went to the BP gas station at 11960 S. U.S. 301 after receiving information the product was being sold there. He confiscated 1,354 packages of K2.

The store owner signed a warning document acknowledging that selling and possessing the product is illegal. If store workers are caught selling the product again, they will be arrested.

Two shotguns stolen from home recovered

Two shotguns stolen from a residence were recovered by sheriff’s detectives, who arrested four teens in connection with the burglary.

The four boys, ages 15 to 18, were each charged with armed residential burglary and grand theft.

Detectives Stephen Osborne and Brandon Spillman were told the teens went to the home in Silver Springs Shores and one of them threw a brick through a back bedroom window. They left, but returned a short time later and two of them entered the home and stole a Remington shotgun and a Springfield shotgun, which they hid in some woods.

The theft was reported to the Sheriff’s Office and, during an investigation, the detectives learned about two of the suspects, who led them to the other two.

The weapons were found in a wooded area after one of the suspects took detectives to the area.

Man arrested on child pornography charges

Sheriff’s detectives on Friday arrested a 22-year-old man on 20 counts of possession of child pornography.

Detective C.J. Whiteside noted in his report that he was investigating child pornography cases when he detected someone had obtained several files of obscene materials. Whiteside got a search warrant for a residence in Reddick and found at two computers on which were multiple videos depicting children involved in various sexual activities.

The owner of the residence told Whiteside that Jose A. Torres Ocho uses the desktop computer and laptop.

Torres Ocho admitted to Whiteside that he downloaded and watched child pornography on the two computers, according to reports. He was arrested and taken to the Marion County Jail.

Tips help lead to arrest of suspect in store theft

Thanks to tips from the public, Ocala police identified the woman suspected of stealing a television and trying to steal another from the Walmart at 4980 E. Silver Springs Blvd. on Sunday and obtained a warrant for her arrest.

The tips came in after OPD released surveillance images.

Krystal Duarte, 24, turned herself in Friday afternoon.

Duarte is charged with one count of retail grand theft and one count of resisting a merchant.

According to OPD, she stole a 46-inch Sony TV at about 1:35 p.m. Sunday and returned later in the day, dressed in different clothes, and tried to steal a 50-inch Samsung TV. When a loss prevention official confronted her, she resisted and physically attacked him, according to OPD. She then fled the store.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office will collect outdated and unwanted prescription medications from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 27 at the Southwest District Office, 9048 SW State Road 200, Ocala.

For more information, call 402-6060 or visit www.marionso.com/main.php.

Habitat of Marion seeks volunteers

Habitat for Humanity is permitting a new home for the Soto family in the Rainbow Park neighborhood, with the wall raising scheduled in early May. Skilled and unskilled volunteers are needed to help with construction.

Volunteer shifts are from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

For more information, call Brittney Fish at 351-4663, emial bfish@habitatocala.org or visit www.habitatocala.org.

Swimming safety initiative launched

In 2012, Marion County had five drowning fatalities and responded to 24 water safety emergencies involving near-drownings. Marion County and the city of Ocala have teamed up to present the “Prepare, Protect, Prevent” water safety campaign.

During five free demonstrations at pools throughout the county, Infant Swimming Resource instructor Nicole Meade will give parents and guardians water safety tips and Ocala Fire Rescue firefighter/paramedic Jesse Blairski will teach participants to perform hands-only CPR. Those who attend the half-hour demonstrations won’t get wet and can enter a drawing to win a children’s swimming lesson package.

For more information, call the county at 438-2300 or the city at 629-2489.

STATE

Florida to sue BP for damages from oil spill

TALLAHASSEE — Attorney General Pam Bondi said she will file a lawsuit against oil company BP over the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on the three-year anniversary of the tragedy that killed 11 rig workers in the Gulf of Mexico and fouled 1,100 miles of beaches and marsh along the coast of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

Bondi said in a news release that she will file the federal suit Saturday in the Panama City division of the Northern District of Florida.

The lawsuit focuses on the economic losses suffered by the State of Florida. Bondi contends that Florida is entitled to revenues it lost due to the spill, including sales taxes, cigarette surcharges, beer taxes, among other things.

Florida is also seeking punitive damages under maritime and state common law.

— The Associated Press

Man killed in crash on Keys bridge identified

KEY WEST — Authorities have identified a 79-year-old Michigan man as the victim of a fiery crash on a Florida Keys bridge.

The Key West Citizen reports that Floyd Devos of Grand Rapids, Mich., was pronounced dead at the scene Wednesday night on the Seven Mile bridge.

The Florida Highway Patrol reports that the car Devos was driving south over the bridge was struck by a car that Xavier Ycaza, of Golden Beach, was driving north.

Toxicology tests are pending.

— The Associated Press

Students accused of vandalizing Pasco High

DADE CITY — Authorities said two students did about $7,000 worth of vandalism at Pasco High School.

The 18-year-old students were arrested Thursday. They’re both charged with felony criminal mischief, burglary and trespassing. The students were taken to the Land O’Lakes jail.

The Tampa Bay Times reports teachers and students found spray paint on walls and a walkway at the high school. They also found toothpicks glued into the locks of classroom doors.